Torpedo stering and anti-circular run device



Dec. 11, 1962 R. H. KITTLEMAN 3,067,710

TORPEDO STEERING AND ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE Filed June 2, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I. l INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. KITTLEMAN 742M. ATTORNEY Dec. 11, 1962 R. H. KITTLEMAN'TORPEDO STEERING AND ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 2, 1959 FIG. 3.

PROPULSION 75 MOTOR MECHANISM 96 ENABLER FIG. 4;.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. KITTLEMAN ATTORNEYS.

3,667,716 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 chro generator stator '22 is rotatablymounted in hollow 3,067,710 boss 14 and is axially aligned aboutvertical axis A. TORIEDO Q N Q Q The stator leads 24 are connected to aterminal strip 26 Robert H. Kittieman, Eliicott City, Md, assignor, bymesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy Filed June 2, 1959, Ser. No. 817,682 3 Claims.((31. 114-44) This invention relates to gyroscopic apparatus for thehorizontal steering of vessel launched torpedoes and to anti-circularrun apparatus for protecting the launching vessel from the possibilityof the torpedo attacking the launching vessel.

In firing a torpedo from ship or submarine there is a danger that thetorpedo steering rudder may jam or the control system may otherwisemalfunction to cause the torpedo to circle back and attack the launchingvessel. It has been the practice to equip such torpedoes withanticircular run devices which detect the tendency of a torpedo tofollow a circular path back toward the launching vessel and to stop thetorpedo run in such event. In modern torpedoes which are capable ofmaking angle shot runs Where the torpedo may be preset to run along apreselected course other than the direction along which it is fired fromthe launching tube, the anti-circular run device must be capable ofpermitting the torpedo to turn within the predetermined limits of normalangle shots, and detecting unauthorized turns in excess of such limitswhich place the launching vessel in danger. The anti-circular rundevices heretofore available are separate units having their owngyroscope to measure torpedo course changes after the torpedo leaves thelaunching tube. These units employ independent gyroscopes and are of thesame size as the steering gyroscopes, thereby adding to the cost ofmanufacture of the torpedo and increasing the space and weight penaltychargeable against the control system. The fact that anti-circular rundevices heretofore available employed slip ring or other sliding contactarrangements in picking the angular position information oif of thegyroscope gimbals was an obstacle to'combining the main steeringapparatus and the anti-circular run apparatus, it being fundamental thatthe main steering gyroscope be mounted with the least possible friction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit employing asingle gyroscope which performs the dual function of horizontal steeringand anti-circular run protection.

It is a further object to provide such a dual function unit wherein thegyroscope is subject to no more friction than exists in connection withthe steering function.

-Other objects and many of the attendant advances of this invention willbe readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, portions being shown in section, of ahorizontal steering and anti-circular run unit of the type referred toembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a normal angle shot torpedo run andillustrating an unauthorized circular run which endangers the launchingvessel;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3, FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4, FIG. 1, and including a blockdiagram of certain components involved in the operation of the unit.

Referring to the drawing, the subject of the invention comprises a frame10, having an upper Wall portion 12 with a hollow cylindrical boss 14formed thereon and a lower wall portion 16 with cylindrical boss 18formed thereon, the bosses 14, 18 being aligned about a vertical axis A.A subframe 20 which is adapted to carry a synthrough slip rings andbrushes 28. The angular position of subframe 20 about axis A isadjustable by means of a servo motor 30, the rotary shaft of whichcarries a gear 32 which meshes with a ring gear 34 formed about theperiphery of subframe 20; however, it is to be understood that suchadjustment is made prior to firing the torpedo and that during thetorpedo run subframe 20 is fixed relative to frame 10 as willhereinafter be explained. A two degree of freedom gyroscope 36 of thetype conventionally used for torpedo steering is mounted betweensubframe 20 and lower wall portion 16, the gyroscope comprising: anouter gimbal 38 which is supported between subframe 20 and boss 18 forrotation about vertical axis A; an inner gimbal 40 supported withinouter gimbal '38 for rotation about a horizontal axis B; and a gyrorotor 41 supported within inner gimbal 40 for rotation about a spin axisC which is perpendicular to horizontal axis B and normal to the plane ofthe drawing. The outer gimbal carries a heart shaped cam 42 which ispart of a caging mechanism and a synchrogenerator rotor 44 whichtogether wtih stator 22 comprises the steering control synchrogenera-tor46. The rotor leads &8 are connected to terminal strip 26 through sliprings and brushes 50.

It is to be understood that the aforesaid apparatus is employed in atorpedo 52, FIG. 2, of the type fired from a launching tube 54, mountedon a launching vessel 56. The torpedo is fired from the launching vesselalong the direction of arrow L, the direction along the axis oflaunching tube 54, and may by means to be hereinafter discussed, bepreset to turn and run along any preselected course within the limits toport and 160 to starboard relative to the direction of arrow L. Forexample, assuming that it is desired that torpedo 52 follow apreselected course along the direction of arrow M which bears to port ofarrow L and by a displacement angle 0, torpedo 52 will follow solidtrajectory line 58. Frame 10 is carried in the torpedo in a fixedrelationship thereto, and with axis A in a vertical attitude. Gyroscope36 is operated in the same manner as a conventional torpedo coursesteering gyroscope, being caged and brought up to speed shortly beforethe torpedo is fired and while the torpedo is positioned in thelaunching tube. Such caging is accomplished by means of a conventionalcaging mechanism which is the subject of U8. Patent 2,726,550 to L. S.Radkowski et al. Outer gimbal 38 is shown in the caged position bestseen in FIG. 3 where certain components of the caging mechanism areshown in broken lines, namely an arm 60 supporting a roller 62 that isadapted to ride on the cam surface of heart shaped cam 42 and in cagedposition of the outer gimbal is adapted to drop into slot 64. Uponfiring the torpedo, the gyroscope is uncaged so that gyroscope inertiamay cause the angular position of outer gimbal 38 about vertical axis Ato remain fixed in space.

Steering control is accomplished by synchro generator 46 which sensesthe angular displacement of subframe 20 relative to outer gimbal 38during the torpedo run, which through terminal strip 26 electricallyfeeds this information to a conventional steering control mechanism, notshown, which is connected to the torpedo steering rudder. As heretoforementioned, subframe 20 is in fixed relation to frame It during thetorpedo run and hence in fixed relation to the torpedo heading.Therefore, the angular displacement of the subframe 20 relative to theouter gimbal 38 after the torpedo is fired is a direct measure of theangular change in torpedo course relative to direction along which thetorpedo is tired and may be used as a servo mechanism error signal inthe conventional manner. if it is desired that the torpedo follow somecourse other than the direction along which it is fired, the angularposition of subframe is adjusted before the torpedo is fired to producean initial error signal representing the desired change in course, as iswell known and conventional in the art.

Anti-circular run protection is accomplished by electric switch rne-ansadapted to detect torpedo turns in excess of 170 in either of oppositedirections of rotation relative to the direction along which the torpedois fired. A normally open switch 66 adapted to close in response toslight lateral pressure against either of its spring leaf members 68 isfixed to frame 10, and a switch actuating lug 70 having a cross sectionin the form of a 20 degree angular segment about vertical axis A isfixed to heart shaped cam 42 and hence is in fixed relation to outergimbal 33. Switch 66 and lug 70 are positioned so that when thegyroscope is caged they are both aligned along a reference axis Destablished on heart shaped cam 42 so that the side edges 72 of lug 70are displaced from switch 66 by approximately 170 with lug 70 positionedin the path of revolution of switch 66 about vertical axis A. Asheretofore discussed in connection with the steering control, theangular displacement of frame 10 relative to the heart shaped cam 42after the torpedo is fired is a direct measure of the angular change intorpedo course relative to the direction along which the torpedo isfired so that if the torpedo turns in excess of 170 in either ofopposite directions of rotation after the torpedo is fired, switch 66will engage lug 70 closing the switch. As illustrated in FIG. 3, closingswitch 66 energizes a trip relay 74 which shuts off the torpedopropulsion motor 76, stopping the torpedo run. It will be apparent thatswitch 66 and lug 70 constitute an arrangement to permit a sufiicientrange of relative angular movement between frame 10 and gimbal 38 to'permit angle shots, but operative to stop undesired over travel beyondthis range, sometimes called a limit switch arrangement. It is apparentthat by detecting course changes in excess of 170 and thereupon causingthe torpedo run to stop the launching v essel is afforded a largemeasure of protection against the possibility of a circular run. Forexample, assuming that torpedo 52 follows a. broken line circular runtrajectory 78 by reason of some malfunction of the control system, thetorpedo will reach a position 80 on trajectory 78 wherein its headingwill be in excess of 170 relative to the direction of arrow L, and thetorpedo run will stop. It is apparent that during normal operation ofthe torpedo and in contradistinction to prior art anti-circular rundevices there is no friction producing contact between the components ofthis mechanism. The torpedo may be preset so that the anti-circular runmechanism is made inoperative after the torpedo has traveled apredetermined distance from the launching vessel, an important featurein connection with acoustic torpedoes which must be free to turn through360 when they reach the vicinity of the target. As seen in FIGS. 1 and4, switch 66 has a lever arm portion 82 and is pivotally mounted tobracket 84 about pivot axis E, and is spring biased to remain in thefull line position shown by means of tension spring 86 extending betweenframe 10 and lever arm 82. The switch is adapted to move to broken lineposition 88 by means of a conventional rotary solenoid 90 having arotary coupling member 92 which carries a lug 94 which in turn engageslever arm 82, so that when the solenoid is energized coupling member 92rotates clockwise, pivoting switch 66 about axis E to the broken lineposition 88. Rotary solenoid 90 is energized by an enabler mechanism 96which measures the distance the torpedo travels by means of a revolutioncounter, not shown, coupled to the propeller drive shaft, and is adaptedto operate when the torpedo reaches a preselected'dista'nce from thelaunching vessel, all conventional in the art. Accordingly when thetorpedo reaches the preselected range, switch 66 is swung into brokenline position 88 wherein its path of revolution about vertical axis Adoes not intersect with lug 94 and the torpedo may freely turn through360 without operating the anti-circular run mechanism.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gyroscopic apparatus for steering vessel launched torpedoescomprising a frame, a steering gimbal supported by the frame, means forproducing a steering signal operativ'ely associated with said steeringgimbal, a rotor carried by the steering gimbal, caging means adapted tocage said gimbal in fixed relation to the direction along which thetorpedo is launched and adapted to uncage said gimbal, the improvementsin combination comprising; a limit switch affixed to the frame, a switchactuator carried by the steering gimbal so const'ructed and arranged toactuate the switch only when the torpedo turns in excess ofpredetermined equal angles less than 180 in opposite directions ofrotation relative to said direction, said switch and actuator beingdiametrically oppositely disposed when said steering gimbal is in itscaged position.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for moving saidswitch relative to the frame to'a position out of the path ofmovement'of the switch actuator.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whe'reinsaid means for'movin'gsaid switch is'actuated in response to travel of the torpedo through apredetermined distance from the site of launching.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Q "arm1:

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